Gabapentin as an adjuvant to opioid analgesia for neuropathic cancer pain

Gabapentin was administered as an "add on " therapy to 22 patients with neu ropathic cancer pain only partially responsive to opioid therapy. Global pa in, burning pain, shooting pain episodes, and allodynia were assessed separ ately. Gabapentin was given for at least a week and efficacy was assessed a fter 7 to 14 days of therapy. Global pain score decreased from a mean (+/- SD) of 6.4 (+/- 1.5) to 3.2 +/- 1.3 95% confidence interval of the baseline minus final score differences (195% GI = 1.0-2.4). Burning pain intensity decreased from a mean (+/- SD) of 5.1 (+/- 3.6) to 2.0 (+/- 2.3) (95% CI = 1.5-3.8), and episodes of shooting pain decreased in frequency from 7.2 (+/ - 3.7) to 2.2 (+/- 2.2) daily episodes (95% CI = 1.8-4.3). Allodynia was fo und in 9 patients and disappeared in 7 dumping gabapentin administration. T wenty patients judged the new drug efficacious in relieving their symptoms. The potential role of gabapentin as an adjuvant to opioid analgesia in can cer pain is discussed. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 1999.